Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Seoul'n'Corea]

I was listening in on a conversation between a student and a VERY good teacher yesterday talk about a failed entrance exam for a "foreign language high school".
Student was told by her homeroom teacher that she was a failure and not good enough to do anything meaningful.
when I was told the full story, I was SO overcome with rage and wanted to smack that F$%^er hard. She wrote in her journal that she thought Suicide was an option worth taking.

If I get a chance I will tell this to him.

1) You NEVER tell a student they are no good.

2) You as a teacher, are charged with making a safe learning environment for ALL students regardless of what you perceive to be talent or not.

3) The student didn't fail, You failed her by telling her she was no good.
You have violated the very principals we as teachers hold as sacred trust. You should pack your shit up, and go haul trash for awhile.

... Anyone else agree ?

[jadarite]

Ok, so we have a teacher who ACTED too seriously, and a reaction of at least one person who is ACTING too seriously.

The reality is that the SYSTEM in Korea puts too much emphasis on SEOUL.

TOO MUCH EMPHASIS ON SEOUL.

[Seon-bee]

Obviously the teacher was just trying to motivate the student to achieve more, study harder, set higher goals, etc.

[Seoul'n'Corea]

[jadarite]

If you are trying to save the planet and all the children mistreated, add the northern part of Korea to the list. The southern part is supposedly still at war with their brothers and sisters.

I doubt they care about one girl who won't "get in line" and obey their master.

[Scotticus]

Should you be pissed? Yes, of course. Can you do anything about it? Helllls no. Best you'll get is a polite nod and then the teacher going to your coworkers about what a weirdo you are and how you don't understand Korean "culture."

[Faunaki]

Interesting story seeing that all schools just received handout related to students and suicide. I was given one but can't read Korean.

[BrianInSuwon]

Anyone remember the bathroom scene in Full Metal Jacket with Private Pile

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OZS6wem7OQ

[nate2008]

OP,

Ignore all the idiots posting in this thread about how one girl doesn't matter, you can't do anything to change this, etc. Only on Dave's will you find such cynical, emotionless bastards.

Do what you need to do. If I had heard one of my teachers saying such a thing to one of my students, I would have stepped in as he was talking to the student and put him in his place. Now I know that all of the other people who already posted in this thread are going to spout some bs like "no you wouldn't." But the truth is that I would. In a heartbeat. No matter the consequences.

I promise you that this is wrong even by Korean standards, and this guy needs SOMEBODY to tell him that it's wrong. Even if nothing comes of it except to get you on his bad side, we still owe it to common decency to say SOMETHING.

[wayfarer]

[wayfarer]

[Ramen]

[EzeWong]

Children are very sensitive to everything.

Every experinece they have (especially with an adult) will shape their personality. As a physchology enthusiasts, we know that middle school children are highly impressionable to negative stimuli.

The teacher BELIEVES he/she is trying to get him angry, motivated to do better, etc etc..

Well, I for one am a believer that works sometimes and others times it doesn't. My father always used to drive by our local community college and say "This is where you'll be going". It was a tease but it seriously pissed me off all the time. Sometimes it would reinforce my failure mentality. Ultimately, I don't know if that helped me or damaged me from getting into a really good college (I did go to to a top business school). What I do know is, this is a very Eastern way to try to get kids to be better by using some sort of negative stimuli. Asian parents will never think a child is "good enough" and that they can always do better. Very Eastern thinking if I'm allowed to generalize here.

So this teacher I believe has good intentions. The metholdogy though is highly questionable. I don't think it's an easy right or wrong answer. Personally, I'm highly against it but it has it's uses. A negative you're not good enough can breed resenement against the issuer of the comment, and can ignite a fire to do better (well that's the beleif anyways). In my case, it kind of worked. I'm always like "SCREW YOU DAD" (only half of the equation worked). The flip side which you're concerned about is extremely valid. You have good judgement to be concerned... but don't get angry which seems like you are from your post. Emotions will only do more to cloud you from seeming lucid in confronting this teacher.

First understand that it's very common here. Then understand the teacher means well. Then understand it's somewhat of a cultural and individual difference of methodology. Empathizing on that level gives you the tools to stop the behavior if you feel that it's really immoral in this case.

However, if the teacher doesn't mean well... I'd stop him. Doesn't matter what the means are if the teachers end is to bully the student. If this teacher is known to get his jollys off of nailing student's confidence, then you might as well show him what an American knuckle sandwich tastes like...

[nate2008]

[Seoul'n'Corea]